About, Snake Bites and how to Avoid Them.

Pacific Rattlesnake Crotalus oreganus

Northern Pacific Rattlesnake Crotalus oreganus-same snake, here with a slightly different appearance and common name

The Prairie rattlesnake Crotalus viridis viridis,  is the only venomous snake in the Canadian prairies.

It can be found in south western Saskatchewan and south eastern Alberta. In the United States of the Americas, its range extends from Idaho and Montana, to western Iowa, and northern Mexico.

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Contrary to what you have seen in John Wayne and other “Western” movies,"American" action, and/or war, movies; when it comes to fight or flight a snake will always choose flight. There are no snakes, of any type, anywhere in the world, that will attack a human; or any other large animal, unless they are provoked and feeling in mortal danger. And, despite what you saw in the movie True Grit,the chances of you dying from; or even suffering a snake bite, anywhere in North America; but, especially in Canada, are very rare, indeed. Although there are still claims that if has happened; warm sleeping human bodies are not really known to attract snakes –of any kind. There has never been a proven case of a snake ever crawling into an occupied sleeping bag.
The exaggerated fears of rattlesnakes arise, mainly, from such equally exaggerated stories of their prevalence, their viciousness, and the inevitable fatalities from their bites. 
In truth, snakes are rarely as common as people think; and, they are timorous creatures that will bite human beings only if hurt, or, frightened; and a bite is rarely fatal, if properly treated. In 1803, it was said that if the travellers’ tales of the danger from rattlesnakes were true, the Americas, including the United States thereof, would be uninhabitable."

Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus of the subfamily Crotalinae ("pit vipers"). There are thirty two known species of rattlesnakes, and between sixty five and seventy subspecies. Ranging from southern Alberta and southern British Columbia in Canada to Central Argentina in South America; all are native to the Americas,

Yes, rattlesnakes are predators, hunting small animals such as birds and rodents that live in a wide array of habitats.

Yes, they kill their prey with a venomous bite, rather than by constricting. All rattlesnakes possess a set of fangs with which they inject large quantities of hemotoxic venom. The venom travels through the bloodstream, destroying tissue and causing swelling, internal bleeding, and intense pain. Some species, such as the Tiger Rattlesnake and the Mojave Rattlesnake, additionally possess a neurotoxic component in their venom that causes paralysis and other nervous symptoms.

Yes, rattlesnake bites are the leading cause of snakebite  injuries in North America. However, rattlesnakes rarely bite unless provoked or threatened; and, if treated promptly, the bites are rarely fatal.

The Tiger Rattle Snake (Crotalus tigris) is a highly venomous pit viper species found in the south western United States and north western Mexico. No subspecies are currently recognised. The specific name, tigris, Latin for "tiger", refers to the many narrow dorsal cross bands, which create a pattern of vertical stripes when viewed from the side. Tiger rattlesnakes are easily identified by their small, spade shaped head, which is about 1/25 of their total body length. They have the smallest head of any rattlesnake and a large rattle. The Prairie Rattlesnake Crotalus viridis, (common names: prairie rattlesnake, western rattlesnake, plains rattlesnake) is a venomous pit viper species native to the western United States of the Americas, south western Canada, and northern Mexico. Currently, two subspecies are recognised.

The Pacific Rattlesnake Crotalus oreganus, (common names: include western rattlesnake, northern Pacific rattlesnake, Pacific rattlesnake, black rattlesnake, Arizona diamond rattlesnake, black diamond rattlesnake, black snake, California rattlesnake, confluent rattlesnake, diamond-back rattlesnake, Great Basin rattlesnake, Hallowell's rattlesnake, Missouri rattlesnake, Oregon rattlesnake, Pacific rattler, rattlesnake, southern rattlesnake, western black rattlesnake, western rattler and north Pacific rattlesnake.) is found in North America from south western Canada, through much of the western half of the United States of the Americas, and south into northern Mexico.

In Canada, it is found in southern British Columbia. In the United States of the Americas, it occurs in several states, including: Washington, Oregon, western and southern Idaho, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and likely west-central New Mexico.

In northern Mexico, it is found in western Baja California and the extreme north of Baja California Sur, from sea level to an altitude of 2,500 m (8,200 ft).

The threat of envenomation, advertised by the loud shaking of the titular noisemaker ("rattle") at the end of their tail, deters many predators. However, rattlesnakes fall prey to hawks, weasels, king snakes, and a variety of other species. Rattlesnakes are heavily preyed upon as neonates, while they are still weak and mentally immature. Very large numbers of rattlesnakes are killed by ignorant, misinformed, (usually movie addicted), humans. Rattlesnake populations in many areas are severely threatened by habitat destruction, poaching, and extermination campaigns.

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The Massasauga Rattle snake (Sistrurus catenatus) is a stout-bodied rattlesnake, usually about 50 to 70 centimetres long. It is Ontario’s only venomous snake, though like all rattle snakes, IT WILL ONLY BITE IN SELF-DEFENCE IF IT IS THREATENED OR HARASSED. It has a triangular head and a tail that ends in a small rattle that creates a buzzing sound when the tail shakes. The body is grey to dark brown with darker brown “butterfly” or “saddle-shaped” blotches down the back, with alternating blotches along the sides. The Massasauga is the only Ontario snake with a vertical (cat-like) pupil. Appreciate snakes and don’t harm them. Sadly, the deliberate killing of snakes by humans is a significant threat to the Massasauga and other Ontario snakes. Human persecution led to the eradication of the Timber Rattlesnake from Ontario.

Rattlers are too slow to outrun or dodge even the slowest of their enemies, thus the need for good long-range vision

Rattlers have good vision to at least 15 feet away under moderate illumination. The eyes are set so far to the sides of the head that they have only a limited field of binocular (stereo) vision. This may result in their moving their head from side to side as they try to get a good picture of something.

Like all snakes, rattlers do not have external ears or all of the usual internal ear structures; instead they feel vibrations transmitted through the ground, though more recent research indicates that many snakes are able to hear airborne sounds as well.

Rattlers tend to bask near an escape hole - a rocky crevice or animal burrow - to which they can go when they feel threatened. Their other methods of defence, in order of general preference, includes procryptic (their protective colouring enables them to blend into the background especially when the snake is absolutely motionless); rattling; flight - escaping down it's bolt hole or just away from the disturbance; withdrawing its body into a flat (along the ground) coil, hissing and rattling; drawing up into a striking coil, hissing and rattling; lastly, striking.

The amount of venom injected into a bite is variable depending upon a number of factors - the age of the snake and how it perceives the threat; whether or not the snake has just envenomed prey, etc. Historically, mortality rates remain pretty much the same - only slightly less than 3% of bites are fatal. Even so, the fatality generally is caused by secondary infection, alcohol poisoning, being bitten repeatedly and/or by multiple snakes, or allergic reaction to the venom.

Symptoms of an envenomed bite include: immediate pain, swelling and discolouration, weakness and giddiness, difficulty breathing, nausea and vomiting, haemorrhaging from the wound site, circulatory disturbance such as rapid, fluttery or thready pulse and a drop in blood pressure. Bites on face or neck may result in difficulty in swallowing, numbness of lips and tongue, excessive thirst and cold sweats. Note: Many of these symptoms are symptoms of general shock and/or panic, and are not uncommon in the case of a phobic person who is terrified of all wild animals (or who believes that all snakes are venomous) who is bitten by an otherwise innocuous non-venomous snake or generally harmless animal.

However, when out walking, hiking or camping, in snake country, precautions should, always, be taken; from early morning to late evening, as temperature, season and humidity can all affect just when rattlers will be active.

To prevent bites, take precautions such as wearing protective pants and boots, and look where you are walking and sticking your hands. Bites commonly occur in the following instances: picking berries or flowers; picking up kindling or firewood - even from neatly maintained stocks of firewood; reaching into brush to pick up animals or rocks, etch.; reaching blindly into tree hollows and animal burrows; turning rocks; climbing rocks, especially reaching for hand and toe holds without looking; walking and hiking through brush without protective clothing; cutting thick brush; picking produce from a heavily grown-over garden; moving around in the dark, picking up and moving things.

 Do's and Don't s:

·     Don't move planks, rocks or logs by hand - use a stick or crowbar until you can see under it.

·     Don't gather firewood in the dark. Do it in the daylight, or at night under well-lighted conditions.

·     Don't reach into holes in the ground, rocks or trees, woodpiles, even abandoned buckets and tires.

·     When walking, stay in cleared areas (paths) as much as possible, and keep a visual and auditory look-out for rattlers.

·     Take most care when the temperatures are moderate, not only when they are very hot or cold.

·     Use a flashlight when moving about at night.

·     Step on a log, not over it, so you can first look down to make sure there is nothing concealed on the other side.

·     If possible, avoid walking to close to rocky ledges.

·     Never put your hands and feet where you can't see them.

·     When crawling under a fence, beat the grass or brush first to assure there is no snake lying there.

·     Look around before you sit on a rock or log.Learn to recognize the venomous snakes.

·     Avoid killing all animals(even rattlers have an important environmental niche they fill), but at all costs, avoid killing non-venomous ones.

·     When you hear a rattle, freeze until you identify where the sound is coming from; you don't want to accidentally step on it when trying to flee. Once you have spotted it, give it time to move away. Normally, they will flee, if, given the opportunity.

·     Then, if it doesn't, move slowly straight away from it; don't walk to one side or the other as that could be perceived as threatening. Look behind you before you start to walk backwards - you don't want to trip over a rock, or another snake.

·     Does not tease, molest, or harass any animal.

·     Snakes cannot close their eyes. Therefore you cannot tell if they are asleep.

·     If you come across a snake, please don’t try to capture it, handle it or kill it. Snakes can be delicate and improper handling can cause serious injury. Also, certain species are protected under legislation, which makes it illegal to harass, harm or kill them. Be respectful and observe from a distance.

·     Don't handle a dead or injured snake. Dead snakes may not really be dead. Muscle contractions can still cause envenomed wounds, even when handling the decapitated head of a rattler.

Rattlers cannot move fast enough to overtake a person who wants to get out of its way. The only danger is that the person falls or trips in getting away, thus disturbing another snake, or falls towards the rattler rather than away.

Spring is the period of greatest activity. Emerging from winter hibernation, they are hungry and looking for mates, as this is also the breeding season. During this time they will eat prodigiously. Males are looking for females to court, and will battle competing males. During these times of stress, when trying to eat, and when in their opaque stage several days before they are ready to shed, is when they are most likely to act in an aggressive manner-but, only when disturbed.

Snakes migrate to and from their winter denning site, so aggregations of them may be found during a short period of time during the spring and fall. Dens are usually in rocky outcroppings in the hills, or in deep animal burrows. They are not good tree climbers, but many are good swimmers.

It is often, mistakenly, (again usually by movie addicts), believed that rattlers are active only during the heat of the day.

Not only do they, always, rest, during the heat of the day, sheltered from the sun, they are adept hunters in the dark, their heat pits and sense of smell guiding them to prey. During periods of excessive heat during the day, many diurnal animals become corpuscular (active at dawn and dusk) or partially nocturnal. Thus rattlers are more nocturnal in summer than during the spring or fall, and adults are more nocturnal than juveniles.

Despite their need for heat to be able to function, rattlers can function at surprisingly cold temperatures - especially the Mojave rattlers and sidewinders.

Rattlers' preferred habitats include (depending upon species) deserts, grassy plains, and brushy and rocky hills. In addition, there needs to be a suitable amount of prey, proper climate for the species, and places to hide and hibernate.

Rattlers' main prey is small mammals. Those that live near areas with large populations of amphibians will also feed extensively on them. Others will feed on the eggs of ground nesting birds. Know your local wildlife! 
© Al (Alex, Alexander) D. Girvan. All rights reserved.